Portland’s Premiere (Only?) Hip-Hop Festival Returns!
So way back in 1999, Cool Nutz and friends started an (almost) annual festival at the long-gone La Luna venue that invited tons of local talent to perform without regard for inter-genre divisions and politics. When La Luna closed, the fest bounced between other venues with varying degrees of success. It has been what, four years since the last one (POH-Hop 9) went down at the Ash Street Saloon?
Well, in the last four years the Portland hip-hop scene has grown in breadth, if not actual numbers, and matured quite a bit. Lifesavas and Cool Nutz himself are still Portland’s most visible flag-waving supporters, of course, but the multi-tentacled Sandpeople crew and a recently revitalized Oldominion are helping to put Stumptown back on the map. Suffice to say, POH-Hop 10—though so far it’s just a weekend on the calendar—could be a pretty big deal. Nutz thinks so, too, as stated in a press release sent out this weekend:
The legendary POH-Hop(Portland Oregon Hip-Hop Festival) will be taking place here in Portland on October 23, 24, and 25th, 2008. If you would like to get involved in this years event, please feel free to reach out to us regarding this great event.
This years event will feature the POH-Hop Jumpoff Party (October 23), and 2 days of incredible hip-hop showcases. We look forward to seeing all of you there, and know that this years event will go down in the history books.
Mission Statement
The Portland Oregon Hip-Hop Festival (POH-Hop) was a monumental and historic event from the time of it’s creation in 1995. David Parks, Steven Spyryt, and Terrance Scott had a vision to create an event that gave local hip-hop artists an outlet to expose their art to the masses.
With the support of the community and some of the cities music industry luminaries, POH-Hop exploded on the scene, and was successful even beyond the expectations of its creators and supporters. Over the past 10 years, POH-Hop has featured some of the most talented local artists, as well as national stars like The Luniz, Spearhead, Mac Dre, Ras Kass, Andre Nickatina, and more.
Not only has POH-Hop benefited local artists in the form of exposure, POH-Hop has also raised and donated funds to The Black Education Center and KBOO Community Radio.
Now in its 10th year, POH-Hop is geared to be larger then ever.
The festival’s venue is still TBD, but depending on the level of in-city and foreign talent, Roseland or the Crystal Ballroom would seem likely candidates for a “larger than ever” POH-Hop.
Here, dear readers is my question to you: What would make this thing appeal to you? The raw truth is that—despite the increased level of talent in this city—plenty of local hip-hop bills are poorly attended and tough sells. Obviously this thing has to be all-ages, but what else? Should Nutz look for national underground acts to headline the event? Should he stick to Northwest acts, perhaps tapping the burgeoning Seattle scene as well as the Rose City’s own? Should it just be the PDX Pop of hip-hop? What’s going to get you out?
I’ll tell you what I want to see: A full U-Krew reunion. There. I said it.
Much more on POH-Hop 10 as we get new information and show details.
Links:
Cool NutzSpace
Photos of POH-Hop 9 from Belly at Superhappywax
Image Courtesy of organizers
travis
says:party time. excellent.
Posted @ June 23rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkCole Boretz
says:Portland’s hip-hop acts are marginalized due to the lack of diversity. social location/environment has always played a key role in hip-hop’s success. this may be due to the fact hip-hop was originally a communal activity, and more of subculture than product for capitalism. the “culture” was started by ex-gang members and the oppressed youth of the South Bronx, NYC, who didn’t have much control over the city, so territory and making your mark on the city was of the utmost importance (Graffiti). this idea of territory or “scene” became a strong branding/marketing ploy for hip-hop, where credibility & authenticity is just as important, if not more important than musical/lyrical talent. unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on the way you look at it) Cool Nutz found his niche: the city of Portland, so there may be no way to transcend the “NW Hip-Hop” Stamp that he’s branded himself with. Cool Nutz should be confident with his abilities as well as with other hip-hop acts in Portland, and having outsiders from different states perform would defeat the purpose of the event (the festival was originally, and I’m assuming still is intended for local talent). I’d like to see acts that are more eclectic, multicultural, and technological…having influences that are outside traditional “urban” styles of music. I’m beginning to see this in other cities in the U.S. but not Portland..shouldn’t be hard to catch up though..now that we have the internet..
Posted @ June 23rd, 2008 at 5:26 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkJay Bozich
says:1995 it was started.
not 1999.
says so right there in the mission statement, plus i was there.
Posted @ June 23rd, 2008 at 6:04 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkbut that’s besides the point.
Daryn
says:Build it, and they will….stay away. PDX isn’t this lame. This would go over huge in the central valley of California, like maybe Fresno, where Hip Hop just “speaks” to some white suburban, 12 year olds.
Posted @ June 24th, 2008 at 3:32 am (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinktravis
says:cole you should get out/use the internet more. there is tons of weirdos makin hip hop in this town.
cool nutz is cool nutz and you can’t fuck with that. the man has made a huge scene around his music and his crew. just cause his style isn’t total backpacker indie hip hop doesn’t mean he isn’t a big part of the underground or the scene in town.
i’d like to see blue scholars, but there are a ton of great local hip hop acts:
sleepyhead
dj chill aka chillest illest
improv logic
alphabetix
wilding
paper/upper/cuts
siren’s echo
colin jones
a.e.d.
lifesavas
just to name a few.
i would like to see something akin to the holocene “Its Importland for me to be one step closer….” show where maybe some local hip hop artists team up all judgement night soundtrack style with some local musicians like quiet country, dat’r, evolutionary jass mixin it up at the show…. but if it is just an insular type thing with all the usual artists that cool nutz works with, it’ll still be rad.
regardless of how good it is, will portland dance????
Posted @ June 24th, 2008 at 6:06 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkryan
says:personally i’d go for sandpeople alone.
that said, if colin jones and/or siren’s echo were involved i’d be extra sold.
and what about libretto?
Posted @ June 25th, 2008 at 3:01 am (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkTrent
says:lifesavas
sandpeople
blue scholars
it would be tight to go for nationwide underground groups too
Posted @ July 3rd, 2008 at 11:28 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkSammy G
says:We need to hook up some raw talent from Washington and maybe even cali. That will get more people to come, then we show them whats up with portland hip hop. Blue Scholars are a must (seattle), ILLmaculate of sandpeople will be spittin hard, and maybe even Nickatina??? ….Epic
Posted @ July 28th, 2008 at 1:36 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkCool Nutz
says:Thanks for all of the feedback. At this point we have One Be Lo, Sandpeople, Gray Matters, Libretto, Living Proof, Maniac Lok, Illmaculate & Only One, Cool Nutz, Braille, and more TBA.
Posted @ September 9th, 2008 at 3:35 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkJared
says:Yo this is one of the reasons I’m moving to PDX in July 09, I live in Denver and other than Mighty 4 once a year there’s no scene here, no identity, no B-Boy’s, no true to form hip hop heads. “Up-and-coming” hip hop scene? Hell yes, I’ll be there soon! Any plans for 2009?
Posted @ February 11th, 2009 at 2:00 pm (June 23rd, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalink